I have to share this reply I got from a reputable IVF specialist b/c I can't seem to shake it. I know how my body responds to NPC. Since this doctor might know WHY, I asked him about it, and this is the response that I got. Top part is obviously my question to him, bottom part is his response.
Question:
Hi,
I have long cycles and was recently diagnosed with PCOS. Prior to my diagnosis I have tried everything under the sun to regulate them and help me to ovulate. Vitex, Evening Primrose Oil, Dr John Lee's Shutdown, (in which Natural Progesterone Cream is applied for CD's 5-26, then stopped) a couple unmedicated cycles, soy isoflavones, currently on 1000mg/day of Metformin and the ONLY cycles I had "normal" cycle length with ovulation, is when I took NPC (25mg/BID) from CD's 5-26 (or til Aunt Flow) I know normally NPC should suppress ovulation, but instead for me it helps me ovulate. Why would that be? I cannot make sense of it at all, but am impressed that this is all it took.
I recently had an appointment with my dr, who actually told me that the NPC would do me no good in the beginning of my cycle and I should stop the NPC and start BCP's for a while to help get my cycles regulated again.
Thank you,
L. from Oregon
Answer:
Hello L. from Oregon,
Natural progesterone cream (NPC) will NOT get you to ovulate, but will help to keep you regular. In fact, you don't need to take it as many days as you are taking if all you want is to have a period on a regular basis. All you have to do is use it on CD#16-25 (10 days). When you withdraw the progesterone, you will have a period, because that is what happens in the luteal phase of the cycle. The progesterone is working directly on the endometrial lining and causing it to "luteinize" which is why withdrawal of the hormone causes it to breakdown and bleed. We use other forms of "natural" progesterone such as prometrium, Crinone, Procheive, Endometrin and Provera to accomplish the same task. But the progesterone does nothing to the ovary so ovulation does not occur. In large enough doses of progesterone, as that contained in birth control pills, it will cause a suppression of ovarian function.
The birth control pill is only a treatment to regulate your cycles. If a woman with PCOS is not intending to become pregnant, then the treatment of choice is to use the birth control pill. On the other hand, if your goal is to start ovulating, because you want to get pregnant, then as a woman with PCOS you need to use a medication that will induce the ovaries to ovulate such as Clomid, Femara or injectable medications.
I hope this helps to explain things."
Question:
Hi,
I have long cycles and was recently diagnosed with PCOS. Prior to my diagnosis I have tried everything under the sun to regulate them and help me to ovulate. Vitex, Evening Primrose Oil, Dr John Lee's Shutdown, (in which Natural Progesterone Cream is applied for CD's 5-26, then stopped) a couple unmedicated cycles, soy isoflavones, currently on 1000mg/day of Metformin and the ONLY cycles I had "normal" cycle length with ovulation, is when I took NPC (25mg/BID) from CD's 5-26 (or til Aunt Flow) I know normally NPC should suppress ovulation, but instead for me it helps me ovulate. Why would that be? I cannot make sense of it at all, but am impressed that this is all it took.
I recently had an appointment with my dr, who actually told me that the NPC would do me no good in the beginning of my cycle and I should stop the NPC and start BCP's for a while to help get my cycles regulated again.
Thank you,
L. from Oregon
Answer:
Hello L. from Oregon,
Natural progesterone cream (NPC) will NOT get you to ovulate, but will help to keep you regular. In fact, you don't need to take it as many days as you are taking if all you want is to have a period on a regular basis. All you have to do is use it on CD#16-25 (10 days). When you withdraw the progesterone, you will have a period, because that is what happens in the luteal phase of the cycle. The progesterone is working directly on the endometrial lining and causing it to "luteinize" which is why withdrawal of the hormone causes it to breakdown and bleed. We use other forms of "natural" progesterone such as prometrium, Crinone, Procheive, Endometrin and Provera to accomplish the same task. But the progesterone does nothing to the ovary so ovulation does not occur. In large enough doses of progesterone, as that contained in birth control pills, it will cause a suppression of ovarian function.
The birth control pill is only a treatment to regulate your cycles. If a woman with PCOS is not intending to become pregnant, then the treatment of choice is to use the birth control pill. On the other hand, if your goal is to start ovulating, because you want to get pregnant, then as a woman with PCOS you need to use a medication that will induce the ovaries to ovulate such as Clomid, Femara or injectable medications.
I hope this helps to explain things."
Now the part that got my blood boiling is when he posted this on his blog AND his IVF blog to be tweeted on his twitter site.
"#PCOS Patient on natural progesterone #NP, thinks she is ovulating w/cycle but she is mistaken."
Really? I'm mistaken?? Out of all of my TTC cycles NPC has been THE only thing to make me O, and I'm mistaking that??? Oh, he can so bite me!!!! I bet the jackass didn't even take a look at my charts I sent him. Really though, why did I expect a doctor who specializes in IVF to remotely understand a damn thing about alternative medicine anyways???
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